Senior Advisor - Environment

Energy Vault; Invercargill City; On-site; NZD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading global mining company as a Senior Advisor for Environment in Invercargill, New Zealand. You will lead an expert team to tackle significant environmental challenges while partnering with Māori communities. This permanent role offers relocation assistance and a competitive salary, along with a commitment to sustainability.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Relocation assistance

Rio Tinto employee share program

Comprehensive leave policy

Ongoing wellbeing support

Qualifications

• Experience in complex industrial environments (ISO14001, compliance systems).
• Proven track record of leading teams and influencing across organizations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor an environmental team in a major industrial setting.
• Drive strategic improvements in air quality, water management, and waste minimization.

Skills

Leadership

Cultural competence

Strategic improvement

Education

Qualifications in Environmental Science

Engineering or related field

Job description

Senior Advisor - Environment – NZAS

• Join New Zealand Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) at Tiwai Point, Invercargill, where we produce some of the world's purest, low carbon aluminium
• Be part of building a bright future for our business, for Southland and for Aotearoa New Zealand
• Permanent role living in Southland and working at beautiful Tiwai Point with full relocation assistance provided
• Competitive salary and benefits designed to make life better for you and your loved ones - flexible working, Rio Tinto share scheme, Rio Discounts Program, contribution to medical costs, leave loading and more
  

About the Role

Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs.

We’re on the hunt for a proven environmental leader ready to take on one of New Zealand’s most unique and meaningful roles.

At NZAS (New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Ltd), we don’t just meet compliance—we set the standard. As our new Senior Advisor Environment, you’ll lead a high-performing team, work on technically complex environmental challenges, and be a vital part of our partnership with *Ngāi Tahu*, co-designing a future where industry and environment thrive together.

This isn’t just another job. This is a career-defining opportunity to lead environmental strategy on a globally significant site, all the while making a meaningful contribution to the whenua and whānau of Murihiku.

What You’ll be doing

• Leading and mentoring a skilled environmental team in one of NZ’s largest industrial operations
• Partnering with Ngāi Tahu under a formal Memorandum of Understanding—embedding mātauranga Māori in our environmental practice
• Driving smart, strategic improvements in air quality, water management, waste minimisation, and climate resilience
• Engaging with regulators, iwi, technical experts and the local community with integrity and influence
• Supporting our site leadership team with top-tier environmental advice and insight
  

What You’ll Bring

• Experience in complex industrial or manufacturing environments (ISO14001, consents, compliance systems etc.)
• A track record of leading teams and influencing across all levels of an organisation
• Cultural competence and ideally hands-on experience working with Māori partners or within co-governance frameworks
• Curiosity, courage, and a desire to do work that truly matters
• Qualifications in Environmental Science, Engineering or a related field

Why NZAS?

• Work with purpose – contribute to meaningful sustainability outcomes on a global stage
• Partnership with heart – walk alongside Ngāi Tahu in a respectful, collaborative way
• Real leadership – this is a strategic role with genuine site-wide influence
• Grow your career – we invest in people who invest in us
• Live the lifestyle– world-class hiking, surfing, snowboarding and mountain biking on your doorstep
  

This role provides

• Permanent opportunity based in Invercargill New Zealand – relocation assistance provided if required
• Great opportunity to join a global mining organisation offering outstanding personal development and career opportunities
• A safety-focused and inclusive working environment
• A competitive salary package with annual cash incentive awards
• Excellent retirement plan
• A comprehensive leave policy that covers all moments that matter in life (vacation/annual, paid parental leave, short term sick leave, paid holidays)
• Ongoing individual wellbeing support for you and your family for personal and professional matters
• Generous Rio Tinto employee share program
• Flexible working arrangements available

Where you’ll be working

Rio Tinto Aluminium – Pacific Operations. Rio Tinto is a global leader in aluminium, one of the world’s most widely used metals.

Active in the sector for more than 110 years, today we operate large-scale, high-quality bauxite mines and alumina refineries, and have the world’s most modern and competitive aluminium smelter portfolio.

Our Pacific Operations sites are located along the east coast of Australia, at the tip of the Northern Territory and in New Zealand’s south. With more than 6,000 employees, we operate a full value chain approach — mining, refining and smelting. Our portfolio includes four bauxite mines, two refineries, four smelters and one power station, and is supported by technical experts located in our Brisbane hub, including a fully operational Operations Centre for our bauxite mineshttps://tiwaistories.co.nz/

Invercargill, New Zealand’s southernmost city is the commercial hub of Southland. The city is famous for its easy access to outdoor adventure—fly fishing, snow sports, rugged terrain, waterfalls and wildlife—with a balance of all the modern facilities you would expect from a thriving city, with well-regarded schools, child care, restaurants, creative and cultural experiences, shopping and sporting opportunities.

Ready to lead where it counts?

• Apply now and shape the future of environment and industry—together.
• Applications close: 20th July 2025
• Learn more: New Zealand's Aluminium Smelter | NZAS

#gts

About Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto is a leading global mining and materials company. We operate in 35 countries where we produce iron ore, copper, aluminium, critical minerals, and other materials needed for the global energy transition and for people, communities, and nations to thrive.

We have been mining for 150 years and operate with knowledge built up across generations and continents. Our purpose is finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs – striving for innovation and continuous improvement to produce materials with low emissions and to the right environmental, social and governance standards. But we can’t do it on our own, so we’re focused on creating partnerships to solve problems, create win-win situations and meet opportunities.

Every Voice Matters

At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, women, the LGBTQIA+ community, mature workers, people with disabilities and people from different cultural backgrounds.

We are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel comfortable to be themselves. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard, all cultures respected and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome – they are essential to our success. We treat each other fairly and with dignity regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or anything else that makes us different.